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So often advisors ask students “What is your educational goal?” Yes, we do use educationese. It is a small subset of people that can actually speak this language. Let me translate that question for you.

What the advisor is really asking you is this:

What are you trying to accomplish here at PVCC? Some follow-up questions may be….

What is your major?

Do you plan to get a bachelors degree? If yes, what school to you plan to transfer to in order to get your bachelors degree.

Declaring your major and transfer institution is important because we have partnerships with colleges and universities that really simplify the process. Some of them require you to go to the other university (i.e. MAPP) and others like NAU@PVCC and coming in January UofA@PVCC let you complete your with NAU and the University of Arizona right here on the PVCC campus.

You have options. Many options to choose from in completing your bachelors degree. Most of these options come with benefits if you complete your associates degree first. Some of them even require it.

We hear pretty regularly from students that “I am just getting my generals.” Typically that statement to us means that you really are not sure of the process. We are really good at translating educationese for you.

My plug to you is this…. Finish your associates degree THEN transfer. Having that degree will open doors, open scholarships, save money and shorten the time you spend at the University.

Academic advising at PVCC is fully engaged in the teaching and learning environment here. Learning is not just a car-to-class-to-car scenario. It is about engaging in the campus community. You can make this college your own by getting involved!

Why should you get involved? By getting involved you will have an opportunity to…

1. Make your college experience awesome and fun!
2. Meet new people
3. Find opportunities that you would not get elsewhere
4. Make a difference (on campus and in the local community)
5. Develop new skills and talents
6. Find new interests or expand upon your current interests
7. Find a major or career path
8. Learn new and diverse view points
9. Do better academically
10. Learn to lead

These are just ten of many possibilities of what you can do/experience/learn by getting involved. Ultimately, being involved will enrich your life.

We are glad you are here and look forward to learning and growing with you.

If you are someone who is asking this question (to yourself or out loud), first thing is: Congratulations!

Transfer should be an easy process. For most students it just seems like another hoop they must jump through. Please don’t feel this way. Transferring should seem like a great accomplishment. You have achieved one goal (completing your Associate’s Degree), and now you are ready to tackle the Bachelor’s Degree! Here are some steps to take to help minimize the frustration and maximize your excitement to move to your next location on your educational journey.

2. Meet with an Academic Advisor: This is the time when you want to make sure you have all classes you need to complete your associate’s degree. Our advising team can do graduation check (Grad Check) to give you peace of mind that you are at the finish line. The advisor can also connect you to our Maricopa university partner’s contact information.

3. Connect with a Transfer Admissions Representative at the institution you are planning to transfer. The individuals help you to get through the process without all the snags.

4. Petition for graduation. You can get the Graduation Petition online here: http://www.pvc.maricopa.edu/admissions/

5. Apply to the institution(s) of choice.

6. Send your official transcripts to the colleges or universities that you have applied. You can do this though your student center at http://my.maricopa.edu

7. Celebrate when you get your acceptance letter!

As always, if you have questions about transfer, please feel free to see a PVCC advisor at any point in the process.

Let me start right away by saying, yes, this is being written by Academic Advising. My goal is to not bore you with statistics, but share with you what we see as our role.

I would like to get you in the right frame of mind while you read my answer. To do this, I would like you to answer the following 5 questions:

1. What does AGEC stand for?
2. How many credits are required to complete AGEC?
3. What is the difference between MAT 120, 121 and 122?
4. How many credits does it take to earn an Associate’s degree?
5. What math course do you need for a Psychology degree?

Academic Advising is much more than helping students build their schedules. It is really about teaching students to have a comprehensive understanding of their degree/certificate options & requirements, transfer options, educational planning, and connecting students to on-campus resources. It is more important that you know what courses you need and in what sequence to take them, rather than at what times you choose to attend class. There are actually classes that are great to take together and some that are better to be taken separately.

Ultimately, Academic Advising is about helping you to make the best choices possible for your chosen major. By using advising, you more likely to take courses which apply to your major (once you have identified it).

Let us partner with you for your success!

Answers:
1. Arizona General Education Curriculum, 2. 35, 3. They are all the same class. MAT 120 has five credits, 121 has four credits, and 122 has three credits. You spend more time in the classroom with the more credits you take. MAT 120 has the most instruction time. At the end of the semester you will have covered the exact same amount of material, 4. 60 -64, 5. This depends on where you plan to transfer. Could be MAT 142, could be MAT 212. See an advisor for the correct math:)

-If you have something in mind, but you are not sure if it’s a right fit for you, try an internship.

Internships are a great way to get your foot in the door. Some internships are paid, and others are not. All internships will give you experience in the field, and something to add to your resume. Career Services can help you with your resume and cover letter